


Endowment

by Voido



Category: Persona 5
Genre: Birthday Present, Fluff, Gen, double-drabbles, kind of based on the discord, ryuji and morgana are bros because i say so, ryuji's a good boy, the ship is kinda hinted mostly
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-02
Updated: 2018-06-02
Packaged: 2019-05-17 11:31:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,600
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14831459
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Voido/pseuds/Voido
Summary: All Ryuji wants is for his friends to be happy.





	Endowment

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Yaoirumor](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yaoirumor/gifts).



> _Dear Yaoirumor,_   
>  _You couldn't possibly expect to let me know about your birthday without me acting accordingly, right? ;)_   
>  _I hope you like it as much as I had fun writing it._   
>  _PS: These are eight double-drabbles, although I wouldn't be surprised if Ao3 messed something up._   
>  _PPS: Thanks to the PegoRyu-Discord for bringing up the fact that Ryuji is basically everyone's mom! I love him so much......_

Realistically spoken, there's most likely one or the other thing Ryuji is good at. Friends tell him he's a great motivator, his mom says he's got a kind of passion that's beyond comparison, and one could guess that Ann's comment about him singing in the shower – which he will not forgive her for either way, because who the hell does surprise visits and then presses their ears against the bathroom door to listen in? – was most likely meant as a compliment, too.

So, yeah, he accepts himself as useful in certain situations, and believes that the bonds he's formed with his friends are genuine. Maybe that is why he doesn't even hesitate when it comes to them. Whoever it is that needs help, it's become natural for him to support each of them along the way.

“ _You're too good for the world,”_ his mom would say, any maybe she's actually right. But in a world as awful as this one, helping each other, being a constant pillar to lean onto, making sure to always be there – it's really all he can do, and he knows he'll never give it up. It's all thanks to them. He couldn't not return it.

\- - -

Coffee really isn't Ryuji's thing, so he's glad to find that the shop he's entering mostly smells like all kinds of sweet and herbal teas. It's nothing he personally digs, but objectively spoken, the whole display can be described as beautiful. Colors sorted like rainbows, small little cartons decorated with doodles and delicate scrollwork – he can definitely see why someone would like it, at least.

He's lost and curious, picking up and smelling every second or third of the neat boxes, sometimes finding himself smile at a pleasant scent, sometimes wrinkling his nose at the bitter, almost clinical ones. He finds the most different kinds, including one he knows his mom used to drink, and one that he still remembers he had to force himself to drink lots of years back after catching a nasty infection. But then he stops, because he finds exactly what he needs. It's sweet, almost creamy, and reminds him of everything pink and fluffy. His mind drifts to the school's rooftop, lovingly grown flowers and vegetables, and the kind, unconditional love her smile carries.

When the cashier packs it neatly, Ryuji smiles and buys a card as well.

 _For Noir, our Beauty Thief,_ it will say.

\- - -

The streets of Akihabara will never fail to make him a bit uncomfortable, as much as he enjoys all the electronic stores and the vending machines – he's surprisingly lucky with those, and the dude right next to them trades his occasional great catches for some nice stuff, too, at times.

But he's not here for himself, and he isn't even here on his own. It needed a ton of bribery and the promise of a food treat, but he beams at the boy next to him while they enter the electronics shop.

“I'm still surprised you asked me, Sakamoto-kun.”

“Nah, dude, you're the professional here.”

Mishima's smile is sheepish, but genuine, and really, if anyone can help with technical details, it's him. Unsurprisingly, it takes him less than ten minutes to find the perfect present, and even less surprisingly, it ends up being a hit.

At times, it's hard to get Futaba to warm up to oneself, but when the Phantom Thieves next meet and she still mopes about her broken headphones, Ryuji's more than prepared.

What he isn't prepared for is the genuineness of her jumping up in joy and taking the present eagerly.

“Woah, you're so cool!”

\- - -

There's no denying he's scared of her at times, more than he'd like to admit. It's fine, though, he supposes, because as far as it looks, everyone else feels the exact same way. Something about her presence is intimidating; her stern look, maybe, or her strict frown whenever he dares to mention how little he cares for exams.

But there's exactly one thing about her sticking out, looking almost unfittingly cute and adorable. Maybe that's what makes it so great, too, but it's like a small indicator of how kind she is below that tough, uptight surface.

Either way, it's not much of a surprise that he finds himself stopping in the underground mall in Shibuya after casually checking out some shops, and locks eyes with a bright red headpiece that seems to _beg_ him to be taken away.

He gives it to her the next time they meet, and can't help but grin when she wears it to school the next day. It's exactly as pretty as he thought it would be. A friend of her comments on it when they pass each other, and he beams unconditionally at how great it feels.

“Oh, Makoto, that's a beautiful hairband!”

\- - -

Something about Beef Bowls makes Ryuji feel like home. Maybe because his mom used to treat him for them when he was little, or perhaps it's due to how regularly he grabs them with his best friend, but either way, he can't help but feel happy and genuine while eating the warm, tasty food. It's no different this time, and even though he and his companion most likely make the absolute weirdest duo, it's an enjoyable time – as long as he listens and gives an occasional nod or thumbs up to suggest he's listening and trying to understand.

“While I am grateful, I must ask why you decided to invite me here today.”

_Clueless pretty boy._

“Anyone who considers brush maintenance over katana maintenance is in desperate need for a good treat.”

That's half of the truth, although the main reason was Yusuke mentioning that apparently, no one talks to him at school either way, making him unable to slip up about being a Phantom Thief. He never sounded very grieving about that, but that doesn't make it any less sad.

And if there's anything Ryuji is more sick of than being alone, it's seeing others go through the same.

\- - -

It's not a surprise that they don't get along, considering he's never really been a cat-person. Dogs are energetic, motivating, happy, loyal – at good days, Ryuji would be poised enough to say that they remind him of himself, and that's why he loves them so much. Cats, on the other hand – and he makes sure to never say that out loud – are goddamn assholes if they want to be. They're graceful during it, he gives them that much, but that hardly changes a thing.

Still, it has its upside, too. Normally, you'd have to be a psychic to guess what your furry friend wants from you or if they're displeased. When he decides to be nice and treats all three of them for sushi that night, he doesn't face that problem, because not only does he get an appreciative hum from right next to himself – he also hears a shocked wannabe-compliment which he tries to hear as nice words just this once for the sake of peace.

“I suppose Ryuji's not entirely useless, after all!”

He decides to forgive Morgana when he finds him sleeping on his tummy later that night, purring contently and kneading his skin every so often.

\- - -

He never hears or sees her cry, but he knows she does.

Being different even if only so slightly, hearing rumors about yourself during every daily step – he knows how painful it is, because he's learned it the hard way, too. It's fine now, and he's mostly over it, but sometimes, it still hurts, so much that he wants to punch a wall or cry, too. He doesn't, because he has other ways to deal with it, someone who's always there whenever he needs it.

He knows she doesn't have that someone nearby anymore.

The idea pops up when she forces him to buy a magazine that has herself on the cover. It's a good photo, he's gotta admit – they put a lot of focus on her fluffy pigtails, and it highlights her pretty face well.

When he goes for it, he learns three valuable things:

One: Wigs are hard.

Two: He looks ridiculous in tights.

Three: Make-up is some sort of sorcery.

But then they meet in the hallway, and when Ann smacks him on the back with tears of laughter in her eyes, he also learns:

Sometimes, _you're such an idiot_ might also mean _thank you so much._

\- - -

“You're cheatin'.”

It's a simple, carefree statement, yet no less true because of that. He's lost for the tenth time in a row, a fact he _could_ blame on his skills, but he knows that just a few days back, he at least stood a decent chance – right now, he's practically downtrodden by the sheer insane amount of attacks flying his way, and perhaps he's pouting a little, but he doesn't have the time to care.

“It's called using _tricks_.”

“'s called cheatin', no matter the way ya put it, dude.”

When it comes to this place, Ryuji can't help but be entirely at ease. They're wasting their days away in the best way possible, and he enjoys, he _loves_ absolutely every second of it, could never get enough. Someone will judge them for staying up late, for keeping him from studying, for not leaving the house today.

But when he looks over, takes in the small but genuine smile on Akira's face, watches how he reaches over to intertwine their fingers, Ryuji is simply unable to have a single care. Like this, everything's perfect. There's not a thing he'd want to change.

“Thanks for being with me.”

“Forever, man.”

**Author's Note:**

> In case anyone wonders: Yes, Ryuji himself is the gift for Akira. :^) Because how could I ever not make something PegoRyu?


End file.
